Liberty Lines Commissions First High-Speed Ferry With mtu Hybrid System From Rolls-Royce
The title of this post, is the same as that of this press release from Rolls-Royce.
These two bullet points act as sub-headings.
- “Vittorio Morace” the world’s first hybrid high-speed ferry to IMO HSC standard with a length of almost 40 metres is fast at sea and emission-free in harbour
- A further 8 Liberty Lines ferries with mtu hybrid systems will enter into service in Italy, Slovenia and Croatia
This picture shows the first of the fleet.
This is the first paragraph.
On 27 June 2024, the Italian shipping company Liberty Lines ceremonially launched the world’s first hybrid fast ferry of this category and size in Trapani, Sicily, powered by an mtu hybrid propulsion system from Rolls-Royce. The 39.5 meter long ship has a capacity of 251 passengers, reaches a speed of over 30 knots and will significantly reduce the impact of ship operations on the environment. The “Vittorio Morace”, built by the Spanish shipyard Astilleros Armon and designed by Incat Crowther, is the world’s first IMO HSC (High-Speed Craft) hybrid fast ferry of this size and has been classified as a “Green Plus” ship by the Italian classification society RINA.
This ferry can truly be considered to be a Ship-of-the-World, with a design from an Australian-headquartered International company and German engines, that has been built in Spain.
This paragraph describes the power-train.
The battery-electric part of the drive is used for locally emission-free driving in the harbour area and as a booster. CO2 emissions are reduced by the particularly efficient mtu Series 4000 diesel engines which can also run on the renewable diesel (HVO, hydrotreated vegetable oil). Its use can lower the CO2 footprint by up to 90 per cent. Furthermore, the comparatively low overall weight of both the engines and the hybrid drive system contributes to high vessel propulsion efficiency, thereby reducing fuel consumption and emissions.
Over the last thirty years, I’ve been to several of the places served by Liberty Lines, so some excellent journeys, will be made faster, quieter and better.
50 Secret Islands In Europe
The title of this post, is the same as an article in Travel section of The Times for May 4th 2019.
These are the islands.
Italy
- San Nicola, Termiti Islands, Puglia
- Ponza, Pontine Islands, Lazio
- Favignana, Egadi Islands, Sicily
- Capraia, Tuscany
- Salina, Aeolian Islands – My favourite island!
- Pellestrina, Venice
- Panarea, Aeolian Islands – Been there!
- Palmaria, Liguria
- Budelli, Maddalena Archipelago, Sardinia
France
- Ile de Batz, Brittany
- Ushant, Brittany
- Ile d’Arz, Brittany
- Iles Chausey, Normandy
- Ile de Behuard, Western Loire
- Ile d’Yeu Vendee
- Ile d’Aix, Charante-Maritime
- Ile de Vassiviere, Limousin
- Port-Cros, Provence
- Ile Saint-Honorat, Provence
Croatia
- Lastovo, Dubrovnik-Neretva
- Vrnik, Korcula
- Dugi Otok, Zadar
- Prvic, Sibernik
- Susak, Kvarner Islands
- Palagruza
Spain
- Illa da Taxa, Galicia
- Illes Cies, Galicia
- Tabarca, Valencia
- La Graciosa, Canary Islands
- Espalmador, Balearic Islands
- Isla del Burguillo, Avila
- Isla de Lobos, Canary Islands
- Isla del Baron, Murcia
Greece
- Anafi, Cyclades
- Monissos, Cyclades
- Folegandros, Cyclades
- Fourni, Eastern Aegean
- Ios, Cyclades
- Kea, Cyclades
- Kimolos, Cyclades
- Kythira, Ionian
- Tinos, Cyclades
- Tilos, Dodecanese
Best Of The Rest
- Helgoland, Germany
- Sejero, Denmark
- Ameland, Netherlands
- Great Blasket, Ireland
- Cape Clear, Ireland
- Muhu, Estonia
- Ada Bojana, Montenegro
I shall keep the pages, as some of these islands are worth visiting.
Stromboli Erupts
I read that Stromboli is erupting in The Sunday Times. There are more details here.
I stayed there once on a visit to the Aeolian Islands. Everybody should try to go to these islands at least once in their life.
Earthquake in Italy
Reports are coming in of a smallish earthquake on Lipari in the Aeolian Islands. I think it’s the first time, that a place I’ve visited a couple of times, has suffered in such a way.
There are some pictures of the very beautiful islands here.
Let’s hope the damage if any, wasn’t too serious!
Anyone for Squirrel?
I always refer to squirrels as American tree rats, because of the damage they do to trees and because they chase our native and much better red squirrels away. They were one of the first American cultural imports, like burgers and baseball caps, that we can well do without!
So to see that Budgens are now selling them in Crouch End is good. As they say in Suffolk, “Make the buggers work!” That was originally said by a farmer and horse-coper called Dick Freeman, when I told him that my business partner and his wife, had been offered a local speciality in Geneva; raw donkey meat. They had been horrified as at the time, as they had had a pet one called Robin. Dick hated donkeys with a passion, as they give worms to horses.
Our housekeeper at Debach was partial to squirrel and told me that young ones were very nice if fried in a little butter.
Remember though, I am of an age, who was brought up when meat was rationed in the 1940s and early 1950s. As rabbit was off coupon and my father had a customer, who could get it, we had quite a few rabbit pies in those days.
I still like rabbit and would try squirrel in a decent restaurant. After all it’s gluten-free isn’t it?
I doubt I’ll ever go again due to my health, but on Salina in the Aeolian Islands, rabbit is the local speciality, as rabbits are wild and plentiful. The rabbit at the Hotel Signum is exquisite. It’s an ambition to go again and a goal to aspire to.
The Aeolian Islands
These pictures were taken to, from and at the Aeolian Islands.
Everybody should go to these islands at least once. I’ve been twice, firstly in June 2007 and then again in the same month this year.
Each island has their own character; Panarea is small and swish, Salina is more agricultural, Stromboli is dominated by the volcano and Lipari is a bustling town as befits the capital.
Getting there though means a four hour trip in a hydrofoil!
Like Naples, the Aeolian Islands are a World Heritage Site.
The Anonymous Widower 